Police hunt migrants hiding in UK-bound ferry
LILLE (France): Dozens of migrants hoping to reach Britain scrambled aboard a cross-Channel ferry in northern France, sparking a 12-hour manhunt as police combed the ship to find them, officials said.
Around 100 migrants broke into the dock area of the port of Calais on Saturday, and dozens managed to get onboard the ferry that had just arrived from port of Dover.
A total of 63 migrants were detained, many of whom had tried to hide aboard the Danish-operated Calais Seaways, authorities said.
On Sunday morning, firemen talked down the last group of about a dozen migrants who had climbed high above the deck to a catwalk attached to the ship’s funnel.
Prosecutors at nearby Boulogne said these people were still in custody. Twelve people were due to appear in court. Others were released with a warning because they were minors or for lack of evidence.
The migrants managed to get aboard the ferry by using a maintenance ladder at high tide, said senior regional official Jean-Philippe Vennin on Sunday.
“Two of the migrants fell into the sea and were quickly rescued by firemen,” he added.
Police offloaded vehicles arriving from Britain on the ferry before making a top-tobottom search of the ship.
Those detained were taken to Calais police
It’s not normal to have 100 migrants break into a secure area such as a harbour. There must be a failure somewhere.
Natacha Bouchart
headquarters, Vennin said.
Cross-Channel ferry traffic was delayed overnight with at least two forced to remain at sea before being allowed into port.
The Calais Seaways was itself moved overnight so the harbour could resume operations.
To reach the port area, “the migrants crossed a pedestrian gangway normally used by employees and I am convinced the place had been cased and that last night’s operation was orchestrated by people smugglers”, harbour master Jean-Marc Puissesseau told reporters after the police search ended.
“It’s not normal to have 100 migrants break into a secure area such as a harbour. There must be a failure somewhere,” local mayor Natacha Bouchart said, before blaming police force cutbacks.